The recent cover of “No Scrubs” performed by Georgia Smith offers a masterclass in how a modern pop vocalist can If you’ve ever watched Jorja Smith perform and wondered how she makes incredible vocal technique look so effortless, you’re not alone.
Her cover of the TLC classic No Scrubs is a masterclass in how to take a well-known song and make it entirely your own. In this post, we’ll break down the vocal techniques Jorja uses throughout her performance so you can start applying them to your own singing.
Making No Scrubs Her Own
One of the most striking things about Jorja Smith’s cover is the way she blends technical skill with personal style. She doesn’t try to replicate the origina, instead, she pulls the melody around, shifts dynamics, and leans into her natural accent rather than adopting an American one.
This is a huge takeaway for any singer: authenticity is what turns a cover into something memorable. No Scrubs is already a beloved track, but Jorja’s version feels fresh because she’s fully committed to her own artistic identity.
Low Volume and Vocal Fry in No Scrubs
A defining feature of Jorja Smith’s performance is her use of low volume. She stays close to the microphone and keeps her singing soft, which allows her to access a range of textures that would be impossible at a louder dynamic. This is something many singers get wrong, they push too hard and lose the subtlety that makes a performance captivating.
At the beginning of phrases, Jorja often introduces a touch of vocal fry, or what’s technically described as slack vocal folds. This creates that breathy, almost nonchalant quality, a kind of “I don’t really care” attitude that suits the lyrics of No Scrubs perfectly. It’s important to understand that this effect only works well at low volume. If you try to add vocal fry while belting, you’ll run into trouble. Key points to remember:
- Vocal fry comes from a relaxed, slack position of the vocal folds.
- It should be used sparingly, far less than most singers think.
- Keeping your volume low is essential for this technique to sound natural and healthy.
Mouth Shape and Lip Position
Jorja Smith uses very deliberate mouth positioning throughout No Scrubs. In the verses, she keeps her teeth fairly close together, which creates a slightly tense, compressed tone. This is a conscious choice that contributes to the mood of the song. As she moves into the second verse and builds intensity, you can see her mouth open wider to let the sound brighten and grow.
Her lip position also plays a major role. By bringing her lips slightly forward rather than spreading them, Jorja keeps her tone darker and warmer. As soon as you spread your lips wide, the sound becomes acoustically brighter. The lips are often an overlooked part of singing, but they have a huge impact on the final colour of your voice. When working on No Scrubs, experiment with these adjustments:
- Try singing a phrase with lips slightly forward, then with a wide spread, and notice the tonal difference.
- Use a closed-teeth position for a more intimate, restrained sound in the verses.
- Open up your mouth shape gradually as you build in volume and intensity.
Breathing Like a Normal Human Being
One of the most refreshing aspects of Jorja Smith’s approach in this performance is her breathing. She takes short, high, relaxed breaths, much like you would in a normal conversation.
There’s no dramatic, exaggerated inhale before each phrase. This is actually the ideal approach for a song like No Scrubs, which sits in a comfortable range and doesn’t require massive lung capacity.
Many singers fall into the trap of over-breathing, trying to fill up completely before every line. For this style of music, that’s counterproductive. Breathing too deeply can create tension and actually hinder your performance.
Think of it this way: breathe as if you’re chatting with a friend or ordering something at a café. That relaxed, everyday breath is what will serve you best here. It’s also worth noting that there is no single correct way to breathe for all styles of singing, it depends on the song, the style, and your own body.
The Cry Quality and Emotional Connection
Throughout No Scrubs, Jorja Smith taps into what vocal coaches refer to as a “cry” quality. This is where emotion and technique intersect beautifully. Rather than mechanically placing effects, she accesses the genuine feeling of the lyrics, and her larynx naturally responds.
When you connect emotionally to a song, the physiological changes, a slight lowering of the larynx, a subtle shift in the soft palate, tend to follow on their own.
This cry quality gives Jorja’s performance its depth and vulnerability, even within a song that’s lyrically bold and confident. It’s a reminder that singing isn’t just about hitting the right notes; it’s about conveying something real.
Inconsistency Is the Goal
Perhaps the most important lesson from Jorja Smith’s cover of No Scrubs is that inconsistency of sound is a strength, not a weakness. In contemporary and pop singing, you want variety, different textures, different mouth positions, different levels of tension and release from phrase to phrase.
Jorja moves fluidly between darker tones, brighter moments, slack vocal folds, and a touch of throat tightening to create a dynamic, engaging performance.
This is what separates a compelling singer from a technically correct but emotionally flat one. The goal is to have a full palette of vocal colours available to you and to develop your taste over time so you know when and how to use each one.
Posture and Microphone Technique
It’s also worth noting Jorja Smith’s posture during this performance. She sits tall and upright, which supports proper engagement of the muscles in her back and core. Good posture helps with breath management and allows you to pressurize sound when needed without strain.
Additionally, her proximity to the microphone is a deliberate choice, by staying close, she can maintain that low volume while still being heard clearly. The microphone is an extension of your instrument, and learning how to use it is just as important as any other vocal technique.
Falsetto and Tonal Colour in No Scrubs
Towards the end of the performance, Jorja transitions from thicker, fuller vocal folds into a beautiful falsetto quality. The vocal folds stiffen, the volume stays low, and the result is a soft, almost hooty tone that adds a gorgeous final colour to the song. This kind of transition, moving seamlessly between registers, is something that takes practice, but it’s what gives a performance like this its richness and emotional range.
Ultimately, Jorja Smith’s cover of No Scrubs is a perfect example of how technical skill and personal expression go hand in hand. Every choice she makes, from breath control to lip position to the emotional weight behind each phrase, is intentional and serves the song.
If you want to learn more about how you can learn to implement these singing techniques into your own voice, let’s sit down for a chat and discuss if the vocal academy is the right fit for you. You can join us here.